The smartphone rumour mill has turned its attention to 2018, with gossip flying around the web about next generation devices from Apple, Google and Samsung. It’s the latter’s next top–end handsets, though, that have been garnering the most attention.

The Galaxy S9 and S9+ are expected to launch ahead of Mobile World Congress next February.

Want to hold fire before upgrading? Then these are the five Galaxy S9 rumours you need to know.

1) Dual lens camera

The Galaxy S9 is widely expected to feature a dual lens camera setup, the first time one has been included in the Korean tech giant’s S series smartphones. If it’s anything like the one found on the Galaxy Note 8, launched back in August, it will be among the best smartphone cameras out there.

Leaked renders from accessory firm Ghostek suggest it will be a vertically aligned effort, like that on the iPhone X, so it will most likely work with VR headsets out of the box.

2) Fingerprint scanner changes

Recent weeks have seen a string of rumours about the Galaxy S9 and S9+’s design. While the frame is likely to be much the same as the home button-free Galaxy S8, Samsung is said to have shifted the fingerprint scanner beneath the device’s camera.

That’s because Galaxy S8 owners bemoaned the fact that the fingerprint scanner on this year’s phone sat adjacent to the camera, meaning it was too high to reach and often led to users tapping the camera lens by mistake.

3) Bluetooth headphones in the box

Mark this one down as optimistic, but Chinese sources reckon that Samsung will bundle a set of AKG Bluetooth headphones with the Galaxy S9 and S9+. AKG already works with Samsung on its own brand earbuds, so this isn’t outlandish.

But seeing as decent wireless buds cost in excess of £100, it’s surely unlikely that Samsung will go ahead with this offer. Especially as…

4) The S9 will feature a 3.5mm headphone slot

More than one supply chain source has claimed that Samsung will build an old school 3.5mm headphone slot into the Galaxy S9 and S9+. Renders from case makers certainly suggest this will be the case.

Doing so would mark Samsung out from the crowd, with Apple, Google and HTC all ditching the analogue port in an attempt to get smartphone owners to switch to wireless headphones.

5) A February launch

Samsung delayed the launch of the Galaxy S8 until April 2017, following the Note 7 debacle at the end of last year.

Seeing as its latest handsets have all hit the market without a hitch, it seems likely that it will return to its tried and tested approach of launching its new S series phones a day before Mobile World Congress gets underway in Barcelona.

If that’s the case, mark 25th February in your diary, with a launch date to follow within weeks.

Can't wait for next year's Samsung? Check out all our best Galaxy S8 deals.

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